Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-06-16
DEPENDENT PENSIONS.
A Document from the G. A. r. to be
Presented to Congress.

MADISON, Wis, June 10.-Adiutant
General Gray, of the Grand Army of
the Republic, is busily engaged in issu-
ing to all the posts in the country an
important document in the nature of a
dependent pension bill, whose passage
will be urged upon the next Congress.
1t was drafted by the National PEN
sion committee of the G. A. R., which
is composed of the following members
of the order: George s. Merrill, of
Lawrence, Miss; Louis Wagner, of
Philadelphia; James Tanner, of Brook
lyn, n. Y; John G. Lineham, of Pea
cock, n. H., and John S. Kountz, of
Toledo, o.
This committee was appointed by
Commander-in-C Chief Fairchild, under
resolution of the national encampment.
Section l of the bill provides that in
considering the pension claims of de-
pendent parents the fact and cause of
death and the fact that the soldier left
no widow or minor children having
been shown, as required by law, it
shall be necessary only to show by
competent and sufficient evidence that
such parent or parents are or have
been without other means of support
than their own manual labor, or the
contributions of others not legally
bound, for their support: Provided,
that all pensions allowed under this
section of this act shall commence from
date of actual dependence if claim was
filed prior to July l, 1880, and in case
of applications thereafter made the
pension shall commence from the date
of the filing of the application in the
pension office, or from date of subse-
quent dependence.
Section 2 provides that all persons
who served three months in the mill
tary or naval service of the United
States, and who have been honorably
discharged and are suffering from men
tai or physical disability not the result
of their own vicious habits, shall be
entitled to receive $l2 per month; that
persons who are now receiving pen-
sions under existing laws, or whose
claims are pending in the pension of
flee, NAV receive the benefit of this
act: that no person shall receive more
than one pension for the same period,
and rank in the service shall not be
considered.
Section provides that ifany invalid
pensioner has died, or shall hereafter
die, leaving a widow, minor child OF
children under IS years of age, or in
case there be no widow or minor child
or children, a dependent mother ol
father, such widow, minor child ol
children, or mother, or father, shall be
placed upon the pension roll at the
rates established by law for widows
minor children and parents, without
regard to the cause Of death of such
pensioners; provided that said widow
was married to the deceased pensi0nel
prior to the passage of this act. Tha
the increase of pensions for mino
children shall be. at the rate of IS pc
month, instead of So per month, a
now provided by law, and in case {
minor child is insane, idiotic or other
wise helpless, the pension shall con
tinue during the life of said child o.
during the period efsuch disability.
Section imposes fine of $500 or i'm
prisonment at hard labor not exceed
ing two years or both, in the discretion
of the court, on agents or attorneys ac
cepting a greater fee than $40, payable
only upon the order of the Commits
sioner of Pensions, by the pension
agent making payment of the pensiol
allowed.